written by on 21/03/2013
My Sony Vaio laptop screen cracked a few weeks ago (which is common problem with that model due to the weak casing) so we called our home contents insurers (Groupama) which had the repairs arranged with SBS. They collected the laptop straight away the next day via courier and even texted the hour hour time slot the courier would turn up in so thankfully I didn't have to take the whole day off and sit around waiting. Before it was collected I had the foresight to back up my laptop on an external hard-drive even though it was just supposed to be a simple screen replacement, by my God I'm glad I did!
We were called by SBS the next day (my father-in-law picked up the call) who told us the laptop was completely repairable and it would take 5 working days. From the message that was left, they did say that they were replacing the screen, casing AND the click-pad (which I thought was unusual but didn't question it). 5 days later we had heard nothing from them, so we called them up. They then told us they were waiting on parts and it would take another 4 days, but it would definitely be returned to me ASAP. Now I'm starting to panic as I'm a full time student and had lots of work deadlines coming up. The 4 days passed and we had no phonecall from them AGAIN. So we chased them up and were told the laptop was going through 'quality control' and I would be called later that same day to tell me when it would be delivered back to me. No phonecall.
I called back the day after and demanded to speak to a manager and find out what the hell was going on. I was getting really frustrated by their lack of communication and the way they kept changing their story. It was now well over two weeks that they had my laptop when they initially told me it would be only 5 days. When I finally spoke to a manager he then tells me that while the laptop was going through quality control they found a serious fault in the motherboard which meant the laptop could not charge it's battery despite them trying 4-5 brand new batteries. Now I'm no computer expert but I was not happy with this- how could this fault have developed in my previously perfectly functioning laptop, when they were just supposed to be replacing the screen?? The manager only gave me a very vague explanation and even tried to pass it off as an 'pre-existing fault in the laptop' and that although it wasn't part of the claim I was making for the screen, they were going to send me a brand new replacement.
My laptop was less than two years old, it was a very high spec and I paid £800 for it. Thankfully the manager was quite helpful with organising a replacement. I was able to order another brand new Vaio with an even higher spec worth £950. I was so glad I had backed up all my data!! Only problem was I wanted my hard drive back from my old laptop as I didn't want anyone having access to all my old data. He straight away organised it to be couriered to me which I had to pay £21.00 for!!! Also was told that I would not be covered for any software. So the £90 I had paid for Microsoft Office was down the drain and would have to be bought again for the new laptop.
This was all on a Thursday- I was promised a text that same evening to confirm when the courier would deliver my hard drive and new laptop. NO TEXT. I called again on Monday, was told on the phone it would arrive that same day- literally 5 mins later both arrived.
Mixed feeling on this one- very happy overall that I now have a brand new working laptop to an even higher spec, but very disappointed with their poor communication. I don't think I would have minded that this whole process took so long if they had actually followed throught with their promises of texts/phonecalls and not changed their story so much.
So in this review, I have put down that I would recommmend them but please take heed about their communication and keep chasing them yourself if you don't hear anything (although if it was any decently organised company you wouldn't have to). Plus I think when it comes to your insurers I don't think you have any choice with who your repairs are arranged with!